Propelling mechanism for boats



(No Model.)

W. H. DICK. PROPBLLING MBGHANISM PoR BOATS.

No. 470,108l Patented Mar. l, 1892.

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w/TNESSES Wo/Qyaz L A TTOHNE YS- UNITED STATES 1 PATENT UEEICE.

VILLIAM II. DICK,

OF DANSVILLE, NEW YORK.

PROPELLING MECHANISIVI FOR BOATS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 470,108, dated March 1,1892.

Application led November 20, 1891. Serial No. 412,503.

T 0 aJZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM Il. DICK, of Dansville, in the county ofLivingston and State of NewYork, have invented an Improved PropellingMechanism for Boats, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to a propelling mechanism for boats, especially forsuch boats as those denominated row-boats, skitfs, canoes, and suchsmall craft.

The object of the invention is to provide a propelling mechanism capableof being expeditiously and conveniently placed in position Within a boator removed therefrom, and when in position adjusted to the size of theboat.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for thepurposes described which shall be of simple, durable, and lightconstruction, easy of propulsion, needing no rudder, and capable of anincrease of speed.

.The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed outin the claims.

Referen ce :is to be had to the accompanying' drawings, forming a partof this specification, in which similar figures of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan viewof a boat and of the device applied thereto. Fig.2 is a longitudinal section through the boat and the device, the saidsection being taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is atransverse section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

In the board or plate 10, which constitutes the base of the mechanismand is adapted to rest upon the bottom of the boat, a post 11 isupwardly projected, preferably at or near the center of said board orplate, which post is irmlysecured to the latter in anysuitable orapproved manner, usually through the medium of plates 12, which arefirmly secured to three sides of the post and engage with said post fromits top to a point near its bottom, from which point the plates 12 arecarried outward at an angle from the post, and are secured to thebase-plate 10 by bolts or otherwise. At opposite sides of this post 11arms 13 are pivoted, the said arms being practically straight at one endand upwardly curved at the other, as is best shown in Fig.

(No model.)

2, a pivotal attachment between the arms being usually effected by asingle pivot-pin, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

The arms 13 at their manently connected with a frame A. This frame comprises, preferably, a horizontallydocated central arch section 14 andstraightsections 15, projected at an angle outward in oppositedirections from the members of the arch, the attachment between theframeand the arms 13 being made at each side of the center of thearch-section. This frame is maintained in its vertical position throughthe medium of standards B, secured to the base-plate 10, one at. leachside, as is best shown in Fig. 3. These standards comprise two sections16 and 17. The section 16 is the lower section and is rmly attached tothe base. The upper sections 17 of the standards are secured to thestraight sections 15 ot' the frame A, and said upper sections areadjustable upon the lower sections, the adjustment being accomplishedsections of the standards with a series of apertures 18, as shown inFig. 3, and attaching to the lower sections spring-arms 19, which armshave pins attached to their upper ends or formed integral therewith, thesaid pins being adapt-ed to pass through apertures in the lower sectionsof the standards and enter any one of the apertures 18 in the uppersections. By this means the frame A may be adjusted vertically toaccommodate the device to boats of different depths, or to raise orlower the paddle-wheels to conform to the load or draft of the boat. Theframe A is preferably madeof sufficient length to extend over thegunwales of the boat-as, for in stance, by means of sleeve and set-screwextensions on both the frame and the paddleshafts journaled thereon.

In suitable bearings beneath the straight sections of the frame A shaftsare journaled transversely of the boat, the said shafts beingdesignated, respectively, as 20 and 21. These shafts are ofsuflicientlength to extend beyond the gunwales of a boat of ordinarywidth'and have attached to their outer ends paddle-wheels 22 of anyapproved construction. The inner ends of the shafts extend beyond theinner extremities of the straight members of the frame, and may belemployed straight ends are per-- by providing the upper Ioo together ifoccasion may demand. Near the inner end of each shaft 2O and 21 asprocketwheel is firmly secured,which wheels are designated as 23 and2-1. The arms 18 at their curved ends are preferably connected by across-bar 25 or its equivalent, and at the curved end of each arm ashaft is located. Upon said shafts sprocket-wheels are loosely mounted,the said wheels being designated as 27 and 28. 'lhetransversely-aligning sprocket-wheels at both sides of the device areconnected by chainbelts 29 and 30, the sprocket-wheels 27 and 2S beingindependently revolved by crank-arms 26, att-ached to their hubs. Thecrossbar 25 has a sliding connection with the arms 13, whereby thechain-belts may be tightened or loosened, as desired, as shown in Fig.l. In

order to stillen the frame-work of the entire zo device, braces 31 areusually carried from the outer sides of the arms 13 to the frame A nearits outer extremities.

In front of the end of the device carrying the driving` sprocket-wheels27 and 2S a seat 32 is supported in any approved manner upon thebase-plate 10, which seat is to be occupied by the person propelling theboat, and to protect the occupant from spray which may be thrown up bythe paddles each paddle is surrounded by a housing, the said housingactingas a shield. The housing is of the usualconstruction,consisting,preferably,of upright semicircular plates havingoutwardly-extending marginal flanges projecting over the wheels, thehousings being ordinarily attached to the frame A. The frame is providedat its central portion with a handle 33, (shown in Fig. 1,) whichhandle, or leven as it may be called, is adapted for use in raising andlowering the paddle-wheels.

Itis evident that the entire machinery may be quickly removed from orplaced in a boat and adjusted to its width and depth, as the frame A isvertically adjustable and the paddle-shafts 2O and 21 are laterallyadjustable, and it will be further observed that no fastening devicesare necessary, as the weight of the device, together with the weight ofthe operator when seated in the chair 32, will be sufficient to maintainthe device stationary within the boat. Through the medium of such apropelling mechanism as has been described the boat may be convenientlycarried either backward or forward or turned in any direction, no rudderbeing required, as each paddle is operated independently of the other,and if great speed is desired the gearing may be multiplied to suit.

In the standard 11 a suitable socket may be formed, if desired, for thereception of the stick of an umbrella or a like shading device,

.adapted to shield the operator from rain or from the rays of the sun,or a small sail may be secured at this point to assist in the propulsionof the boat. If in practice it is found desirable, the twosprocket-wheels 27 and 2S may be coupled together, so that a personhaving but one arm may conveniently manipulate the mechanism.

llaving thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. In a propelling mechanism for boats, thecombination, with a base and a standard erected thereon and armsadjustably attached to the standard, of bars connected with thc arms andextending at an angle therefrom in opposite directions, shafts journaledlongitudinally upon the bars, paddle-wheels secured to the outer ends ofthe shafts and driving-gears attached to their inner ends, drivin g-shafts jou rnaled near one extremity of the arms, and a driving connectionbetween the driving-shafts and the driving-gears of the wheel-shafts,substantially as shown and described.

2. In a propelling mechanism for boats, the combination, with a base, astandard projected from the base, arms adj ustably attached to the saidstandards, and a frame containing journal-boxes connected with the armsand adapted to extend transversely of the boat, of an adjustingmechanism connected with the frame, shafts journaled in the boxes of theframe, paddle-wheels secured to the outer ends of the shafts anddriving-gears attached to their inner ends, sprocket-wheels held torevolve near the outer ends of the arms, and driving connections betweenthe said sprocket-wheels and the driving-gears of the wheel-shafts,substantially as and for thc purpose specied.

In a propelling mechanism for boats, the combination, with a base, aseat located thereon, a standard projected upwardly from the base, armsadjustably connected with the standard at one side of their centers, theshorter ends of the arms being upwardly curved, and bars containingjournal-boxes connected with the arms and extending outward in oppositedirections at right angles therefrom, of shafts adjustably journaled inthe boxes of the bars, paddle-wheels secured to the outer ends of saidshafts, sprocketwheels secured to the inner ends of the paddleshafts,crank-shafts journaled at the curved ends of the arms, and chain beltsconnecting the sprocket-wheels on the crank-shafts with those on thepaddle-shafts, as shown and dcscribed.

lVILLIAM Il. DICK.

'Witnessesz FREDERICK J. KRAMER, Cassius J. Farra.

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